Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 88064 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88064 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Bradley and Bryce start immediately by taking Dawn stargazing, setting up a blanket in the back of the ute so they can stare up at the sky.
So, we set to work, bringing each idea to life.
Mitchell, Thomas, and I take Dawn for a bottomless brunch where we eat way too much and finish two bottles of prosecco between us. Dawn laughs more that day than at any other time since she entered our lives, and for blissful hours, I think we might have cracked it. But then we get back to Cloud 9 and work a shift, and Dawn’s expression becomes distracted and distant.
The next day, twenty people turn up for cocktail-making and Dawn seems to enjoy showing the cocktails she’s learned and interacting with the attendees, but afterward, I catch her staring at her phone, her shoulders curled, and her bottom lip gripped between her teeth.
Logan, Lachlan, Jared, Joshua, and Bryce take Dawn kayaking and they have a blast. They even spot a turtle which was on Dawn’s list of things to do in Australia, so our efforts feel promising again.
Except later, she’s on the phone to Kyla, talking in whispered tones. Even Chantelle confides in me, expressing her worries about her usually buoyant friend. Dawn has lost her sparkle and there doesn’t seem to be anything we can do about it.
The days are ticking past, and we’re hurtling closer to Kyla’s departure, no nearer to proving to Dawn that she should stay with us.
My frustration builds because all I want to do is tell her we love her. That should be enough, shouldn’t it? Maybe I’m just an old-fashioned romantic, but I can’t understand how someone could look at us the way Dawn looks at us or touch us the way Dawn touches us without truly feeling a love that’s impossible to leave behind.
If the situation was reversed, I couldn’t leave her.
Maybe we just have to face up to the fact that Dawn won’t be able to see what she has here until she’s dealt with the issue she’s running from. We can keep trying, but it’ll be like pouring water into a bucket with a hole in the bottom.
The last idea we implement is the picnic because we all want to be there, but we’re worried about leaving the bar unattended. It takes some organization to pull together our friends to bar-sit, but they come through after some begging and the promise of free drinks. Craig, who introduced Dawn to us in the first place, is the first to arrive just before closing time. Then Jason, who works security, and Gary, who works at the wholesaler.
Chantelle has also been kind enough to wait up until we return. It must be a constantly intimidating thought that Barrow can show up at any minute, but she seems to be so much braver now than when we first met her, and she’ll have three big strong men to protect her.
Dawn seems surprised when Bradley and Bryce emerge from the kitchen carrying wicker baskets of food. Logan has two large blankets, and Mitchell and I have the coolers. Lachlan has an industrial flashlight to light our way. Thomas has a speaker and a million playlists on his phone. The rest bring themselves. "We’re stealing you away," I say, grabbing Dawn’s hand and spinning her like I’m planning to take her dancing.
"Stealing me to where?"
"The beach. It’s a full moon tonight," Jared says. "And a full moon calls for a full moon party."
"Really?" Dawn says, her eyes alight with surprise. "And you’re all coming? What about the bar?"
"It’s fine," I say, leading her outside before she has a chance to object. "Our friends are here to keep watch, and sometimes life has to come before business."
Her fingers squeeze mine and she turns to watch my eight best friends gather to make their way to the beach. It’s the first time we’ve all been together outside of work for what feels like forever, and the buzz amongst the group is contagious.
The beach is deserted, which is exactly what I hoped for. With the light of the moon and the flashlight, we can see well enough to lay out the blankets and set up the food and drink. Dawn watches everything with her hands clasped together and her bottom lip clamped between her teeth. Not exactly the vibe I’m hoping for.
"You get to sit in the middle," I say, holding out my hand so that she can balance while she removes her shoes. When she finds her spot, she seems so little and lost.
Jared and Joshua already have their feet in the water, and Lachlan is talking about the moon. They’re distracted and need to refocus on why the hell we’re here before Dawn’s mind drifts away and we lose our chance to make the kind of impression we planned.